Star-Spangled Bride

'Or not talk at all.' She reached into her bag and with a flourish pulled out a deck of cards. 'Poker?'

'You play?'

'Sure.' She began to shuffle the cards. Damn, she hoped he wouldn't notice the slight tremor in her hands. 'I'm terrific.'

He sat up and crossed one muscular leg over the other. She wished he hadn't done that. It disturbed her. Now he looked like a naked sultan lolling in his harem, bringing all kinds of erotic thoughts to her mind.

He studied her for a moment and then smiled curiously. 'Do you know, I believe I'm beginning to agree with you.'

Gabe picked up his cards and, without looking at Ronnie, asked casually, 'By the way, who is this Jed?' 'Jed Corbin.'

He glanced up swiftly. 'The Jed Corbin?' She nodded. 'We work together. Jed's fantastic.'

'I agree. He's one of the best anchors in the business. I tried to lure him away to my network three years ago.'

'Really? Jed never told me.' 'Does he usually tell you everything?' 'Not as much as he should. He worries too much about his crew.' She grinned at him. 'Like you.'

'You can never worry too much when you're asking your people to put their lives on the line.'

He threw down a card, and Ronnie dealt him a new one. 'Why haven't I heard about you? When I was investigating Corbin before offering him a job, I studied most of his stories. I don't remember seeing your name on the credits.'

'I like to keep a low profile.'

'Emmy Award seekers don't hide their lights under a bushel,' he said flatly.

She could have bitten her tongue. Lord, he was sharp. She had forgotten she'd made that flippant remark, but evidently he had not.

'I'll make an exception.' She quickly changed the subject. 'I'm surprised you didn't get Jed to come over. He likes your style.'

'Evidently not enough. Why isn't he here now instead of letting you run the risks alone?'

'Oh, he doesn't know I'm here. I told him I was going to Germany to interview East Berliners about life after unification.' She made a face. 'I figured that sounded boringly safe enough, even for him.'

'Instead you come here and try to get yourself killed by terrorists.'

'Neither of us is going to get killed.' She looked at him uncertainly. 'I did a good job so far, didn't I?'

He smiled. 'Very good.'

She felt a rush of pleasure. 'Well, then there's no reason to think the rest of the plan won't go off as well.'

'You didn't answer me. Why didn't you want the fantastic Jed with you?'

'He's having a baby.'

His lips twitched. 'Then he's more fantastic than I deemed possible.'

'I told you I wasn't good with words.' She grinned. 'His- wife, Ysabel, is pregnant and he can't think of anything else right now.'

'Not even you?'

'He's my friend, not my keeper.' She discarded a seven and dealt herself one. 'Besides, I wouldn't have asked Jed on this one.'

'Why not?'

'It was my business, not-' She stopped when she saw his gaze narrowing on her face. Cripes, she had almost blurted out more than he needed to know. Falkner exuded a rock-firm strength that, combined with an intent concentration, seemed to draw her into making the most intimate confidences. 'You're good,' she said. 'I heard you were a hotshot reporter at one time. Jed's got that same way of listening to people he's interviewing that makes them want to tell him their life stories.'

'These days I use the technique only whenI really want to know.' He paused. 'And the subject is being evasive.'

'Me?' She shrugged. 'I'm clear as glass. Ask Jed.'

'But Jed's not here,' he said softly. 'And some kinds of glass have ripples that distort and present a vision that's not really true.'

She threw back her head and laughed. 'I love it! Good God, you make me sound as mysterious as Mata Hari.'

'Do I?' His gaze was fixed on the pulse in the hollow of her neck. 'God, you have a lovely throat.'

Comfort and security vanished, and she suddenly felt as breathless and uncertain as she had when he'd been pressed against her. 'I heard Mata Hari did too,' she said flippantly. As he continued staring at her with that faint smile, the air in the room seemed to become charged, to press down on her. Her hands were trembling, so that the cards shook. This had to stop. She went on the attack. 'Did you know Mora Renord has been playing the heartbroken mistress while you've been a guest here in Said Ababa? She has yellow ribbons wrapped around every tree on the grounds of her Beverly Hills estate.'

'Really?' He smiled, his gaze unwavering.

'It doesn't surprise me. Mora has always milked situations for every word of publicity they were worth.'

'You don't mind?'

'Why should I? She has her own priorities and I have mine. We always manage to meet on common ground.'

'You mean, in a common bed,' she said dryly. 'And Lynn Cartwright claims you're engaged to her.'

His smile vanished. 'Now, that I do mind. I don't like lies.' He looked up into her eyes. 'Any more?'

'What?'

'Aren't you going to drag out any more of my past liaisons as red herrings?'

'I don't know what you mean.'

'The hell you don't. The best way to escape a probe is to intercept and then initiate your own. A man's personal life is usually the area most open to attack.'

'Not yours.' She met his gaze. 'You don't let anyone close enough to touch you, do you?'

He stiffened.

She had hit a nerve. It was about time. She was tired of being on the defensive. 'Oh, you have plenty of friends, but you've never had apermanent mistress or a wife. I have a theory about that.'

'I can't wait to hear it,' he said silkily.

'You regard your employees as your family.'

'And why do I do that?'

She frowned. 'I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it.'

'But I'm sure you'll tell me when you come to a conclusion.'

'Geez, you don't have to be so testy. You're the one who started this.'

'I didn't expect you to-' He broke off and a smile lit his face. 'You're right. I shouldn't dish it out if I can't take it. You're proving to be an interesting challenge, Ronnie.'

'I'm not trying to be a challenge. I'm just doing a job.' She spread her hand out on the bed. 'Full house.'

He threw down his cards. 'You were telling the truth. You're very good'-he paused-'at cards.'

She frowned. 'Look, I didn't mean to pry into your private life. It just seemed-'

'A good defense?'

She nodded. 'You ask too many questions.' 'It's the only way to get to know someone.' 'I've known Jed for six years and he never asked me anything. He just accepted me as I was.'

'Then he has a singular lack of curiosity for a newsman. Perhaps I'd better rethink upping my offer.' He stared at her. 'All right, I'll try to restrain my curiosity, but there's one more question I want to ask.'

'What?' she said warily, not looking him in the eye.

'Nothing very sensitive. I just want to know why you came after me.'

'The Emmy. I told you that I-' She broke off as she finally met his gaze. 'Oh, all right. I liked your face.'

'I beg your pardon?'